Mohave County miner., 1887-01-09
VILLAGES e'r TAs Manuis.
ryfhea v q. iyrry r~p. et ,.l3A s's...

Z /. II
irsyfhea ON shs 'vrry Tops se txiah ne.as
n the Hsts-~rie'nresapo reapIe.
\ Of a!i the Iudsan villages OF the south
west. tisase OF the Moluis are Ivy far
The most picturesque. Taers ars seven
of them. ell tosetiasr and all are perclie1
on The very tars OF v,igh n,essls w!iIcl,
are sppirgted by a few mics Of open
country. 5nt which ARE ali in agist of
amy of tho towns. The settlement that
4 Is best known. and that Is more oft -
Iyisjkesi, consists or three VILLAGES. biisf
10 close proximity TO one another. and
appearing. from q distance like grogp
4 OF swailolv.nes,s settled upon the top Of
an abruptly rising cliff. The second
mesa ais, contains three distinct vii
lagos; nhtle tine third has only one
TOWN. sn' Which. however. there Is the
largess population and greater primi-
tiveness ,f habits among the people.
THE iribo numbers about 2500 souls. as
nearly as can pe estimated. and Is com.
parativeI, wealthy, The property OF tile
people consists OF large herds OF sheep
and fiocks of goats, which feed upon the
nutritious grasses OF tlse reservation.
The villages are composed OF small
iuare hnts, built Of stone. and covered
with hasvy beams. which support o
layer OF earth; and the houses are piled
tigether. one on top of the other. with
exactly the same irregularify with which
Child would make pile OF blocks.
Some Of The residences are siilt directly
on the edge Of The cliff. while others face
an inner plaza or court. There are usti-
ally tbrsis tiers of houses. rising with
many angles almost 10 a point. and lad-
ders lead from roof to roof. The Interior
of the homes is far more coriifuftable
.ihan one expects u end. after gazing at
tlie dnlt.lmca cstcriorS. They are dimly
hglitei, 10 De sure. and lox studded. but
are scrnEnlcusiy neas and delightfully."-
cnol. What hight there Il comes through
the open doorway. which may be la the
side or III the roof OF the abode. Tie
tiocr is r,' adobe. carefully swept and the
walls OF the same material arc painted
white. .Ihc rule OF one room to house
is rarely broken. and an entire family
lives in nm apartment that seems. 10 q
stranger, hardly large cnoash for a sim
gle pefta,n.
Still practising their ancient forms OF
religion, the people lead quiet and un.
eventfui lives. aud cling tenaciously
to the castonfs OF centuries ago. Meal
is made by grinding the corn between
heavy stones, and bread is cooked by
burying The dough in hot ashes. The
wualen are the hardest workers. They
nre often exceedingly handsome. having
fully developed figures. large. lustrous
eyes and compilations that give evidence
Of perfect health. They dress in gowns
.rlfide OF calico. that reach Just below the
lRfe and cayer tho upper portion OF the
body. and they are apparently modest.
Children wear no Clothes until they are
2 pr years Of age, but play about the
village i'm absolute nakadness. Taken
as a whole. the Moqnis are picturesque
people. They are supposed to he able to
read the hieroglyphics on their ancient
pottery. Self supporting, and having a
form Of government that is strictly their
own, that has not changed for centuries.
they have so far adopted but few of the
customs Of CIVILIZATION. and continue TO
live theil. primitive and interesting life
$50 Edwards Roberts in Overland
MnrflIv .. ~